Note: The credit for this concept is appropriately given to the teachings of Werner Erhard who put forth the idea of "be-do-have" instead of "have-do-be". These phrases are explained below.

IS THE ORDER: HAVE, THEN BE?

The wise old sayings say things like: first you be, then you do, and then as a result of doing you have.

Thus the formula: Be --> Do --> Have

It is not: Have --> Do --> Be

The latter view yields: Once I'm a millionaire, then I'll do what is right, and I'll be powerful. Sounds silly, but that is the way most people operate, unpowerfully so.

Most people have it backwards. And having it backwards produces unhappiness and "unproductivity". A "when...then I'll be happy" approach doesn't work.

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."

-- Epictetus

Most of us were brought up to "do." But that is not all of it...

Addressing “states of being” seems quite ethereal and impractical at first glance. But it is quite practical if you fully utilize the concept. Read the first piece to see how this is one of the most effective, but most overlooked, ways of creating more of what you want.

WHAT YOU DO COMES FROM "WHO YOU BE"

Read also The Traits Of Successful People. Please note that people choose their actions from a particular state of being (or a viewpoint, if you prefer that term). For instance, if you're tired, you choose differently than if you're rested. If you're fearful, you'll choose different actions than when you're not fearful. If you're determined, you'll make different choices. And so on...and on...

THE RESISTANCE TO THIS

For a number of "not valid" reasons, many people resist the ideas this area seems to imply.

It seems so intangible that people often group it with aerie faerie stuff. Though aerie faerie programs will talk about this, it's often in an impractical manner. We're talking only "practical" here - if it doesn't work, we won't use it or do it on this site.

Also, because it is intangible, it may be harder to address, so some version of people's fear (which is what creates resistance and confusion) may be triggered, just as with any unfamiliar area one is not yet "good at".

There will be some hesitance because they are unfamiliar with the language and the elements.

And they may not see the worth of it initially.

Those are all things we will write more about.

But suffice it to say, for now, that it absolutely is worth it - and developing this area will be one of the most productive things you'll do in your life. We'll put that together with other things so that you operate powerfully in life and get what you want (while achieving what you want most: happiness).

WHAT IS THE VALUE IN A "WAY OF BEING"?

When a person "is" something, it is the same as the person. "I am a ballerina" is a way of being. Once a person, in her mind, actually is that (even for a moment), the person "looks" at the world and everything in it through the lens of a ballerina-person. And that "lens" will have her looking for "how can I do this better, be more graceful, be the best I can be, etc." Unless they have added another lens (of "being" fearful), she will not engage in "what's wrong with me" and "why am I not good enough" - she will just be the ballerina.

Although there is certainly more to learn, the knowledge that one has of how to be "x" will astound you, as you already have a "knowing". The question is "how do we elicit that, call if forth?" Read and use the method in Create A Whole New Person, and you'll see what I mean.

THE VIEWPOINT DETERMINES ALL

You will find that in choosing to "be" something positive or be "a particular way", you'll be adopting a viewpoint, a way of looking at things, that will be the same as another person who is that way, and you'll find yourself making similar decisions, acting similarly, feeling similarly - and your performance will be considerably enhanced.

Just deciding to be a certain way causes the mind to start coming up with the type of thinking that is characteristic of that way of being. We look at things differently and in that more "high" of a manner, even automatically engaging our higher brain power - which is a source, of course, for better decisions.

I noticed that when I adopted the way of being called "responsible", I started looking at things differently (of course, since it represents a differing "viewing" point!). I made decisions that were better, I chose better behavior, and I also felt better about things in general.

One of the reasons for the effectiveness of this approach is that it has one stop being vague or general and/or to stop just wandering with no objectives, and one becomes more specific and more directed. This is a key way of changing one's behavior and thinking!

It may seem innocuous, but it is highly effective if you choose to "be" a certain way, even for 4 hours at a time. As one does more of that way of being, the groove starts to develop into a habit and an automatic way of being, one that is higher than if one just was passive about choosing a way of being and just let life pass by.

Although it is "nice" to select several ways of being for the day, I think it is more useful to select one, as then you'll go deeper and make more distinctions in what it is like to be that way - and it'll help create the habit of being that way sooner and more deeply.

CREATING NEW RESULTS

You'll honor the saying "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result," except that you would modify it to say "I'm likely to get a different result if I choose to operate from a different viewpoint."

One can, as in the section called Breakdowns And Breakthroughs, look at the way of being one had when one gets an undesired result and choose a new way of being that is more likely to get a better result, and then "be" that way of being and from that viewpoint choose actions that are consistent with that way of being. This is also the source of virtually all breakthroughs.

AND, IT'S "INSTANT"

One can choose a new way of being "in an instant". It takes no time, but it produces a dramatic shift if you actually choose this.

Of course, part of what makes this work is being clear that the key power a human being has is the power of choice. And, once you know that is immediately available to you, you can apply instantly the power of being able to choose any way of being one wants to choose.

You'll get very, very good at this as you go. You'll achieve this through doing what excellent actors do, putting themselves into the role and playing it from the viewpoint of the person whose role they are in.

And you'll also look at ways of being that no longer work and replacing those with ways of being that work - and completely shift.

You can create anything you want.

CREATING BREAKTHROUGHS AND SOLUTIONS VIA SHIFTING WAYS OF BEING

The Potential In Choosing States Of Being - Includes the positive and negative ways of being, a little chart of the qualities of being that I can just checkmark as my choice for today, and an explanation of how and why this works.

Ways Of Being I Have Or Create To Displace Or Generate Possibility - Includes a short list of the key ways of being (negative, positive), a recognition of the ways of being you've chosen, plus a comprehensive list of the possibility generating ways of being and the ways of being where one displaces possibility and/or creates limitation.

This Is The Way "I Am" - We use ways you have been as excuses and as permanent ways of being. This goes through the logic of why that is untrue and damaging and how to shift that.

example of how it can be used. The effectiveness shift, in terms of results,

will be dramatic after you do it a few times (the "shift" does not guarantee

results but it does make a better result much more likely.

WORKSHOPS TO LEARN

A number of already successful executives have taken some of the "being" related workshops and are quite enthusiastic about seeing this new tool for life. Often they will have their employees take it, to benefit from it, despite the resistance often met to anything connoting "improvement" or "aerie faerie" associated stuff (in their mind). Landmark Worldwide (formerly known as Landmark Education) is the leader, with executives taking their workshops at hundreds of organization in many countries, those organizations include Apple, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Heinz Northern Europe, Reebok, Northrop Grumman, BHP-Billiton, Petrobras, Telemar Brazil, and Polus Group Japan. See my Landmark Worldwide Evaluation (because this organization has been referred to elsewhere with the name it was formerly known by, I add a reference to this having been called Landmark Education). Note especially the results from independent surveys which note concrete results, despite it appearing to be a very intangible approach! The "proof is in the pudding", as they say.

Notes for possible future integration:

Although I am the experiencer and the creator, the figurative "I am being x" usually uses the context of "I am" though technically it is a state of being we are talking about. However a state of being does imply a set of cognitive bits of data that creates a physical effect that "feels" good because of the way we think about it. Which ultimately means that no matter how sophisticated we get in terms of "manifesting being", it is ultimately a good chemical feeling we are seeking, which in turn suggests that we are, as proposed, ultimately mechanical imbeciles who are chemically addicted....